 Most viewed - Koka 甲賀市 |
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Putting up the rear tapestry.65 views
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Minakuchi Ishibashi Station. When you exit, go right until you see the train tracks on the right. Cross the tracks and you will be heading toward Minakuchi-juku.65 views
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Former Minakuchi Public Library is next to Minakuchi Elementary School. 旧水口図書館65 views
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Minakuchi Castle Museum is open 10 am to 4 pm, closed on Thursday and Fri. 水口城資料館65 views
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Basho Matsuo Haiku monument at Daikoji temple.65 views
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Deck below the bridge. During the Tamura Matsuri Festival (Bad Luck Expulsion Festival), the shrine's biggest festival during Feb. 17-19, this deck is piled with dropped offerings.64 views
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Tamura Shrine Honden Main Hall. It is now known as the shrine to ward off bad luck and for transportation safety. You can often see a car being blessed by a shrine priest.64 views
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The entire Haiden Hall is hoisted up. The foundation pillars were being replaced.64 views
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Yuya-machi hikiyama 湯屋町64 views
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After the prayer, they pull the float to its place within the shrine.64 views
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Group photo in front of Yuya-machi hikiyama.64 views
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Higashi-machi float's decoration was a model of Okayama Castle in Minakuchi.64 views
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Inside Minakuchi Ishibashi Station, somewhat rundown.64 views
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The monument takes the shape of a hikiyama float. It contains a clock inside. MAP64 views
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Old Tokaido Road.64 views
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1: Honjin, 2: Waki-Honjin, 3: Kosatsu bulletib board. Daikoji temple can also be seen on the upper left.64 views
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A short walk from Minakuchi Ishibashi Station is Minakuchi Chubu Community Center.64 views
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Shintokuji temple. 真徳寺64 views
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Minakuchi Shrine64 views
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Old Tokaido Road in Minakuchi64 views
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The castle later became the residence of the Minakuchi clan in 1682 headed by Lord Kato Akitomo. MAP64 views
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Old Tokaido Road64 views
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Besides the two baton twirlers at the front, there are these boys who play the drums and bell. They just danced across the baba once and stopped.64 views
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The next part of the festival featured numerous hanagasa flower umbrellas stuffed with little goodies.64 views
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It's a real frenzy. I managed to pick up a plastic flower.64 views
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Festival spectators64 views
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JR Koka Station, south entrance.64 views
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Red bridge near Rakuyaji temple.64 views
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The Jodan-no-Ma has elevated tatami mats on which the VIP sat and slept. This is called the Gyokuza. The room size is 8 tatami mats. Tsuchiyama Honjin address: 滋賀県甲賀市土山町北土山1628 玉座63 views
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Toiya-taku stone marker. The building next to it is not original and not open to the public.63 views
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Main building of Tokaido Tenmakan Museum. The former farming family's house has been renovated into a museum.63 views
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Stalls where they sell souvenirs during festivals.63 views
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Tenjin-machi hikiyama float entering Minakuchi Shrine. 63 views
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Sugawara Michizane doll on the Tenjin-machi hikiyama float.63 views
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Tamachi-Katamachi63 views
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After crossing the train tracks, you see this forked intersection. The road forks into three roads. The one in the middle is the old Tokaido Road. There is also a monument.63 views
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A detour on the old Tokaido road.63 views
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Inside Minakuchi Folk History Museum63 views
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Reconstructed Higashi-Mitsuke Gate. 東見附跡63 views
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Torii to Tagi Jinja.63 views
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Yasu River.63 views
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Tagi Jinja actually consists of two shrines. One is this Tagi Daimyojin-no-Miya Shrine mainly dedicated to a god called Haya-akitsu-Hiko-no-Mikoto (速秋津比古之命) and Haya-akitsu-Hime-no-Mikoto (速秋津比 之命). 龍樹大明神宮63 views
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Sign on south side of Koka Station. There's a ninja character climbing up the sign, but the map does not show the ninja village or ninja house.63 views
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Rakuyaji temple entrance 櫟野寺 MAP63 views
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Statue of travelers at Tsuchiyama Folk History Museum62 views
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They ran at full speed while pulling the float.62 views
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Tenjin-machi hikiyama float62 views
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Monument for the rock which Ieyasu sat on.62 views
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Here and there along the way, you'll see storehouses for the hikiyama floats. During the Minakuchi Hikiyama Matsuri festival on April 19-20, they are taken out to be decorated before being paraded to Minakuchi Shrine.62 views
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Daikoji temple. The current building was reconstructed in 1715. It is one of the 33 temples on the Saigoku Pilgrimage in western Japan. 大岡寺62 views
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The Higashi-Mitsuke Gate was like the town's checkpoint with security guards posted watching people entering the town. There was another checkpoint on the west end of the town.62 views
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Daikoji temple was founded in 684 by priest Gyoki (行基) who installed a wooden Thousand-Arm Kannon statue (now missing). 大岡寺62 views
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Way to Shintokuji temple. 真徳寺62 views
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Minakuchi Hikiyama float storehouse62 views
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About Tagi Shrine. The shrine was established to protect the area from flooding by two nearby rivers. Thus it is near the river.62 views
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Behind the shrine is Yasu River which apparently often flooded the area in the old days. 野洲川62 views
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Bull statue62 views
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Once in a while, a flower umbrella was dedicated only to the kenketo dancers so it went directly to them. There are 20 flower sticks on these flower umbrellas.62 views
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Kenketo dancer and his reward.62 views
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First, in front of Tagi Daimyojin-no-Miya Shrine, they danced and then danced around the shrine building a few times.62 views
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The procession incudes a group of shrine officials and shrine priests on horseback. They follow a rural route.62 views
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The south entrance has community room serving as an exhibiiton space. It also displays medicines made by Koka medicine makers. Many ninja families in Koka were medicine makers.62 views
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Public Library in Kafuka Yume no Mori park.62 views
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Tamuramaro told the people to worship the spot where the arrow landed, and that's how Tamura Shrine was established, according one local legend. There's no sign explaining this bamboo though.61 views
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The procession to the Otabisho leaves Minakuchi Shrine.61 views
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Bridge to Minakuchi Castle.61 views
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Further east is the Higashi-Mitsuke Gate. 61 views
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Daitokuji Temple's founding priest was an uncle of Honda Tadakatsu (Heihachiro), one of Tokugawa Ieyasu's important generals. Due to this connection, Ieyasu lodged in Minakuchi on his way to Kyoto and visited Daitokuji.61 views
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Inside former Minakuchi Public Library. Now it is sometimes used as an art gallery.61 views
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Monument for Iwaya Ichiroku, a noted calligrapher hailing from Minakuchi.61 views
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Pond for the souls of fish offered to the temple.61 views
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Local shrine 五十鈴神社61 views
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The boys were then taken to the shrine.61 views
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They danced in front of Tenmangu Shrine, then danced around the shrine a few times.61 views
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Leaving the shrine. The procession is headed by the two mikoshi.61 views
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The old JR Koka Station (south side), photographed in 2004. It was a small station.61 views
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Mt. Ibuki in Maibara is also noted for many herbs since centuries ago.61 views
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Inside the Public Library in Kafuka Yume no Mori park.61 views
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By now, you will notice that the tanuki (racoon dog) is the symbol of Shigaraki. This giant tanuki greets you at Shigaraki Station. Wish they removed that pay phone.61 views
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Entrance to Tokaido Tenmakan Museum. Open 9 am - 5 pm, closed Mon. and Tue. and year end and New Year's period. Phone: 0748-66-2770, Web site60 views
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Roof tile from Minakuchi Castle60 views
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This front gate at Shintokuji temple was moved from a lord's residence within Minakuchi Castle. 真徳寺60 views
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Minakuchi Stone at this corner is nicknamed Chikara Ishi (Stone of Strength) and was made famous by a woodblock print during the Edo Period. 力石60 views
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Monument indicating that Emperor Meiji who stayed here in 1869. He was the last guest since the Honjin was then closed and dismantled. The Waki-Honjin was also nearby, but no signs.60 views
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Daitokuji Temple gate60 views
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Staircase inside former Minakuchi Public Library.60 views
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Entrance to the former Minakuchi Public Library has Romanesque columns.60 views
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In 1601, Minakuchi-juku was designated as the 50th stage or post town on the Tokaido Road. It had 718 households. By the late Edo Period, Minakuchi had over 40 inns as well as a Honjin. Today, Minakuchi is one of the main populated areas of Koka.60 views
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The Honjin was the town's most exclusive lodge reserved for daimyo lords, government officials, and even Emperor Meiji who once stayed here as this monument indicates.60 views
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At the east end of Minakuchi-juku is the spot where the Kosatsu bulletin board stood. 60 views
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A famous tree at Daitokuji.60 views
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Nearing the end of Minakuchi-juku.60 views
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About Minakuchi Stone60 views
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Minakuchi Shrine torii 水口神社60 views
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Steps going up to the shrine. The Kenketo procession will go up these steps to enter the shrine.60 views
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Behind the shrine priest are three festival umbrellas. 三基の傘鉾（日、月、矢）60 views
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The fun part of the festival was when the hanagasa is offered to the crowd who fight over the spoils of the flower umbrella.60 views
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The procession includes the Sacred Horse. 神馬60 views
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The procession proceeds across town on a 9 km circular route bringing them back to Aburahi Shrine in the late afternoon. They head for the Otabisho rest place.60 views
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The Koka area was rich in medicinal herbs. This mural depicts women picking the herbs in Koka in the old days.60 views
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Room for changing exhibitions.60 views
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Daitokuji Temple Hondo Hall. Ieyasu donated land to the temple as well as a tree. He even created the temple's crest and renamed the temple to Daitokuji.59 views
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Minakuchi-juku documents59 views
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Minakuchi Shrine decorated for the Minakuchi Hikiyama Matsuri festival on April 19.59 views
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A tree shows where the Ichirizuka marker was. It served as a milestone and distance marker for travelers.59 views
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According to NHK in Oct. 2013, the whereabouts of two Important Cultural Property Buddhist statues from Daikoji temple in Koka are unknown. Reported to be have been stolen & sold.59 views
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Now we are approaching Minakuchi Shrine.59 views
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Daikoji temple's bell tower. 「木造千手観音立像」と「木造阿弥陀如来立像」は寺の関係者が勝手に持ち出したあと第三者に売り渡された。59 views
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Not far from the Kosatsu bulletin board was Minakuchi-juku's Honjin. Nothing remains of the Honjin. This is the entrance to where it was located. 本陣跡59 views
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Minakuchi Shrine59 views
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Jizo statues next to the Daitokuji Temple Hondo Hall. 59 views
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The Honmaru (main keep) is now the sports ground for Minakuchi High School.59 views
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Stone monument commemorating the formation of Koka upon the merger of neighboring towns. (Minakuchi, Koka, Shigaraki, Konan, Tsuchiyama)59 views
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Another clock monument59 views
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This is the area (called baba 馬場) where the Kenketo Odori will be performed. The boys will proceed up this path toward the shrine, while a crowd will watch on both sides.59 views
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Tenmangu Shrine in Tsuchiyama, Shiga. 天満宮59 views
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They perform the baba odori kenketo dance at the baba area.59 views
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Romon Gate of Aburahi Shrine. MAP59 views
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The rich medicinal herbs in Koka spawned numerous pharmaceutical companies in Koka.59 views
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Medicine factories and companies in Shiga Prefecture.59 views
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Shigaraki Station platform decorated with tanuki raccoon dogs.59 views
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Old map of Minakuchi Castle58 views
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Walk further along and there is this path to Daikoji temple. 58 views
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Minakuchi Shrine58 views
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Pieces from Minakuchi Okayama Castle ruins.58 views
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Pilgrimage clothing58 views
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Haiden Hall was rebuilt anew in 2005.58 views
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Kenketo procession passing by tea field.58 views
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Due to the tall peacock feathers, the boys have to put their head down when going through the gate.58 views
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Poster for Aburahi Matsuri in 2011. The Aburahi Matsuri festival ceremony is held every year on May 1, but the colorful yakko-furi procession of over 100 people is held only once every 5 years. 58 views
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Keyari-yakko carrying fur-tipped spears enter the Romon Gate. 毛槍奴58 views
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Medicines made by pharmaceutical companies in Shiga Prefecture.58 views
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God of Medicinal Herbs58 views
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To make medicinal powder.58 views
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Medicine cabinet.58 views
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Way to Rakuyaji temple.58 views
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Rakuyaji temple gate and paper lantern.58 views
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Minakuchi Shrine torii57 views
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About Higashi-Mitsuke Gate. After reaching this gate, you might as well backtrack back to the train station.57 views
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This Community Center also houses a hikiyama float.57 views
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About Minakuchi-juku's Toiyaba.57 views
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Saw this along the way to Minakuchi Castle.57 views
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About Vories.57 views
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This is a reconstruction of the Kosatsu bulletin board which displayed official notices from the shogunate. These bulletin boards were placed where many people passed by so they can stop and read the bulletins. 高札場57 views
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Rock with Buddha's footprints.57 views
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Haiden Hall on the right and children's mikoshi on the left.57 views
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Honden Halls beyond the fence.57 views
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The main halls of both shrines: Tagi Daimyojin-no-Miya on the right and Tenmangu on the left. In 2005, both these shrine buildings were rebuilt anew. They look very new and nice.57 views
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Shrine parishioners from three districts (Maeno, Iwamuro, and Tokuhara (前野、徳原と甲賀町岩室) around the shrine participate in the Kenketo Matsuri. Each district takes turns providing the boys who dance each year. 57 views
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This flower umbrella came all the way to where I was.57 views
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The boys were then taken to the other shrine.57 views
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The procession's yakko-furi (medieval marching dancers) consists of three units. This first unit is the Nagamochi-yakko who are coolies carrying a long crate. They mimick the laborers who carried luggage for traveling samurai contingents.57 views
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The priest on horseback arrives at Aburahi Shrine. 頭殿57 views
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The Medicine Museum has a large permanent exhibition room.57 views
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Hino-shonin merchants based in nearby Hino town helped to sell Koka's medicines.57 views
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Kafuka Yume no Mori park across the street. 鹿深夢の森57 views
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On the Shigaraki Kogen Railway Line, get off here at Shigaraki Station at the end of the line. 信楽駅 MAP57 views
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Shigaraki Station on the Shigaraki Kogen Railway Line. One-car train, diesel powered.57 viewsTo reach Shigaraki by train, first get on the JR Kusatsu Line, get off at Kibukawa Station where you transfer to the Shigaraki Kogen Railway Line.
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Daitokuji Temple Hondo Hall.56 views
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The museum also exhibits an actual Minakuchi Hikiyama float used in the annual Minakuchi Hikiyama Matsuri festival during April 19-20. One of the 16 floats is displayed here every year.56 views
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